Transportation Links

With little work done in Richmond on Northern Virginia’s transportation issues, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) is considering calling a special session to address it later this year, but only if he can get support for his proposals, he told local and state media.

He’s tasked Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton with the project, and Connaughton is is working with local officials and business leaders across the state to determine transportation priorities, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Among the few transportation-related bills passed by the General Assembly this year, was an agreement to allocate revenue from future oil or gas drilling royalties to improve state roads. President Obama recently announced the suspension of a ban on most off-shore drilling, allowing Virginia to drill for oil and natural gas off its coast, according to recent media reports.

With those factors in place, all that remains is for Congress to pass a bill allowing the Commonwealth to receive royalties from the drilling, and U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D) is expected to introduce such a bill later this year.

VDOT Extends Pothole Blitz

The Virginia Department of Transportation’s “Pothole Blitz” has been so successful, with more than 120,000 potholes fixed throughout the Commonwealth, Gov. Bob McDonnell has decided to extend the project through April 15th.

The road repair campaign started March 1, following a harsh winter that riddled state roads with potholes. If you would like to report a pothole on a state-maintained road or interstate, call the hot line: 1-800-367-7623 or fill out a form on VDOT’s Web site at www.virginiadot.org/travel/citizen.asp.